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1949 Champion CH-2

Post WWII, BMW in Munich had closed it's gates and former employee Engineer Hermann Holbein decided to put his experience to work designing and building a small car for the masses.

However- finding manufacturing facilities and parts suppliers was a challenge, even to come up with a working Prototype was major undertaking.
His first effort dubbed the Champion CH-1 needed no special equipment to fabricate the body panels and had a 5HP Triumph Motorcycle engine.
The wheels were scavanged from Motorcycles.

Partnerships with other Manufacturing companies gave him both the confidence and capital to move forward with an updated version for Public sale: The Champion CH-2
Unfortunately Holbein was an engineer and not a businessman and soon became overwhelmed with all the details of attempting to start a new business and keep suppliers and partners happy. When the first cars developed transmission problems, he recalled them all for repair.

Only 11 examples of the CH-2 were built before the next model (Champion 250) was built. Perhaps 2 of these original CH-2 models survive today.

This example was restored by The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum
and will run and drive.

Manufacturer: Dipl. Ing. Hermann Holbein Fahrzeugbau, Germany

Model: CH-2 Motor: Triumph 2-stroke Body:Steel
Years Built: Nov 1949 - June 1950 No. Cylinders: 1 Chassis:Tube
No. Produced: 11 Displacement: 248 cc Suspension Front: Swing Arm
No. Surviving: ~2 Horsepower: 6.5 Suspension Rear: Swing Arm
Length: 2800 mm Gearbox: 3 fwd Steering: Rack & Pinion
Width: 1360 mm Starter: Hand Brakes: Cable
Weight: 220 kg Electrics: 6v 4 Wheels: 3.00 x 19
Interior: Bench Ignition: Coil Top Speed: 60 km/h

© 2007